Just a Kid
by AnimeWolfGirl9
Summary: Despite being Jehuty's frame runner, Leo is still a kid and thus susceptible to certain predicaments.
1. Illness

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters/places/anything mentioned from Zone of the Enders and everything belongs to its respective owners.**

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Illness

"Alright, that's enough for today," Rock Thunderheart's voice came through the intercom of the Vic Viper, causing Leo to let out a sigh. He felt relief, but he could also tell that they were ending practice earlier than usual.

Ever since he had woken up, Leo could tell that something was off. He didn't feel like he normally did; instead, he had several 'distractions' to work through. He had made a mental checklist in his head: the back of his head strangely hurt from time to time, he felt kind of warm (the air conditioning in the Orbital Frame had only cause him to shiver though), and he felt like he hadn't gotten any sleep. The symptoms made him come to the only possible answer: he was getting sick.

Despite all of this, he didn't want to cancel practice. He could have always requested that they use the simulators today, but he felt like a burden if he would change the schedule, so he didn't say anything. He could tell that his mentor knew something was off though.

"Your reaction time is a bit slower today. Everything alright, kid?" he looked over at the older man as he got out of the cockpit, noticing how his movements were less organized than usual as well.

_At least I don't have ADA ranting about my mental condition,_ he felt his mood drop a bit at the thought, knowing that it was exactly what ADA would have been doing if he had been piloting Jehuty. 'She' maybe would have even forced him to quit practice, but the fact that he wasn't piloting Jehuty, and that ADA wasn't constantly with him, made it impossible for 'her' to know.

"Yeah, I'm good," he answered, giving a half-nod. His body felt a bit heavy, but he tried to maintain a normal posture despite this. The older frame runner gave him a suspicious glance before turning to leave.

Leo turned to follow, but stopped as the heaviness seemed to spread through him. He caught himself by leaning on the wall. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep his 'act' up for much longer.

"I'm going to head to my room and get changed," he stated quickly, walking off in that direction before his friend could ask any questions.

The hallways were strangely quiet, making him wonder what the rest of the crew of the Atlantis did. He shook his head, not able to come up with answers.

Trying to ignore the pounding in his head, he finally made it to his room. The door closed automatically behind him as he removed his jacket. That was as far as he got, however, and he collapsed onto his bed.

He almost wished that he could talk to Celvice. He didn't want to dump any of his problems on her, but being able to talk to one of his 'friends' would have been nice. The problem was that she had gone back to Antilia the week before, planning on visiting her friends and family. He smiled a bit, feeling glad for her but realizing that there wasn't much left at his old home for him to go back to.

_Not one of the best times to get sick,_ he mused, trying to remember the last time he had been sick. It wasn't too long ago, maybe a little over a year and back when he had been living in the S02 residential unit with his father. Since his father was normally out of the house and had little interaction with his son, Leo had always just learned to wait out the sickness.

"I don't have all day to wait it out though," he muttered, staring at the digital letters floating on the wall that signified the time. He had studies to go to in a few hours, but maybe that would be enough time. The rational part of his mind told him that with the way he was feeling, he would need longer.

_Resting sounds better than going to the cafeteria anyway,_ he thought, drifting off into sleep.

When Leo woke again and stared at the clock, he realized that he was long overdue for classes. He jerked upwards, realizing that his body didn't feel as heavy as before. His head still pounded and he was still shivering, but he felt as though he was getting a bit better.

When he had sat up, he hadn't realized that something had fallen off of his head. Staring down at the object, he realized that it was a slightly wet rag. He looked around and noticed that his blankets had been pulled back as well, and a tray of soup and water was on the table beside his bed.

_When did all of this get here?_ He wondered, staring at the soup for a moment before shaking his head. He was debating whether he should get up and go to his classes despite being late, but stopped when the door to his room opened.

"How are you feeling, Leo?" Elena walked into the room, soon followed by Rock Thunderheart. Leo gave a weak smile, feeling kind of embarrassed.

"A bit better," he wasn't going to lie to them, "but how did you-?"

"It's not hard to tell when someone feels under the weather," Rock answered this time, making him look down at the ground. So he hadn't been very successful in hiding it then…

Elena noticed his actions. "Everyone gets sick from time to time. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

He hesitantly nodded, not quite sure how to deal with the situation. He never really had anyone taking care of him when he got sick, so the fact that they were helping him seemed foreign, but nice.

"You go ahead and get some rest," his mentor's voice made him look up again, "We'll catch up on what you missed tomorrow."

"Alright. Thanks," he nodded, watching as they left the room before lying back down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, he realized how similar the situation was to the last time, but this time there was a difference: he had people that he could rely on.

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Quick explanation: this is going to be a series of one-shots based in between Zone of the Enders and the Second Runner (the summary is sort of self-explanatory). I have a few ideas already, but if you would like to see something, I could try to fit it in :) Please tell me what you thought in a review!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	2. Discovery

**Delphi913:** Yeah, I didn't really like how Celvice wasn't in the 2nd Runner. It seemed kind of strange, considering she was motivation for Leo to go after Viola in the first game, but I guess it focused more on a new set of characters. I do have something for that planned (I guess you could say that will be the very end of the fanfiction, considering the second game would start shortly after that), but I'm hoping to include a lot more before then. Thanks for the feedback!

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Discovery

Leo had expected the day to start out as it normally did, but from the moment he had woken up, his 'schedule' had been in disarray. The normally quiet hallways had been alive with workers and mechanics; people chatting as they walked. The loud number of footsteps had caused him to get out of bed earlier than normal to see what was going on.

Celvice apparently had the same idea; he saw her exit her room on the other side of the hall just as he did. He gave a half-wave, not sure of what to do. She did the same, both of them understanding their predicament: there were so many people in the halls that they couldn't very well reach each other easily.

After a few minutes of wrestling through the crowds, Leo had finally made it to where Celvice was waiting. She unintentionally laughed at his exhausted expression, her hand trying to cover her mouth as she smiled at him.

"Wonder what this is all about?" Leo realized he would have to shout for her to be able to hear him over the other people, causing them to laugh again as he motioned at the workers around them.

"I'm not sure," Celvice kept pace with him as they started walking in the same direction as the others, "maybe Mr. Thunderheart will know?"

The suggestion made it seem quite obvious, but Leo just hoped it wasn't something bad happening. As far as he could tell, it didn't seem like an attack, but something _had_ to be going on, what with the way everyone was acting.

_Maybe we're the only ones who don't know yet,_ he mused, finding the atmosphere of the hallways to be a bit more suffocating than usual, _and rightfully so._

They finally made their way to the hanger, where the larger room allowed them a breath of freedom. Their next problem would be finding his mentor among the crowds of people, but Leo also realized there were more ships that he didn't recognize mixed in with theirs.

_Hope Jehuty's alright,_ he glanced around the hanger, not seeing the Orbital Frame that was inhabited by ADA. He let out a sigh of relief, realizing that they must have moved the frame to the backup hanger to continue repairs.

Something touched his arm, which caused him to flinch, but he calmed down when he realized it was only Celvice. She pointed towards the northern part of the hanger, making him understand what she meant. The noise in the hanger was greater than it had been in the hallways, hurting his ears a bit.

Leo quickly recognized his mentor, Rock Thunderheart, as they got closer. He wasn't dressed in the normal practice uniforms that they used for the LEV Vic Vipers, which only confused him more.

"What's going on?" Leo had to shout again in order to be heard, making him briefly wonder if he would be able to talk tomorrow after all of this. The absurd thought made him shake his head, knowing that he shouldn't be focusing on that.

"The _Atlantis_ is being boarded," his mentor shouted back, looking around at the masses of people. Leo shared a concerned glance with Celvice.

"You mean by enemies?" she asked, her voice containing a bit of fear. Leo couldn't blame her; it was his fault that she had been hurt in the first place, so it was only natural that she was afraid of being hurt again.

Rock Thunderheart glanced down at them, and Leo registered a look that seemed like disbelief. If they weren't being invaded by enemies, then who was boarding them?

"I forgot you two haven't been around here for that long," his mentor gave them a calculating look before smiling; "the _Atlantis_ isn't being boarded by enemies. We're meeting up with another UNSF freighter for resupplying."

"Oh," Leo wasn't quite sure what else to say. It did make sense that they would need to resupply, but he hadn't even thought about the fact that other freighters did exist in the UNSF.

"If you don't mind me asking, why does everyone seem so excited?" Celvice's eyes were filled with a bit of confusion. It did seem like everyone was preparing for a party, at least that what it looked like to him…

"Other than getting more supplies," Leo added, knowing that couldn't have been the only reason for the heightened spirits. If it was, then he was starting to feel slightly concerned.

His mentor didn't answer for a moment, looking at them as he thought. "Well, that could be for a number of reasons. Since the freighter is the _Phanagoria_, it's one of the larger ships. Some people might have friends or family that they can visit, a break is coming up since one of the Earth holidays are coming up, or maybe they're excited for a tour…" Rock Thunderheart stopped talking and looked at the clueless expressions of their faces.

"A… tour?" Leo knew what the word meant, but it didn't make much sense to him at the moment. Why would someone go on a tour of the other freighter? Didn't they all look the same?

Celvice seemed as confused as he did, but she asked something that he hadn't given a thought to. "What Earth holiday is coming up, Mr. Thunderheart?"

"It's just Valentine's Day," his answer made them even more confused, "but you can't celebrate much if you don't have someone to share it with."

_Why is he staring at us?_ Leo wondered, not understanding the explanation much. He opened his mouth to ask what his mentor had meant, but clearly he wasn't going to explain it to them.

"You two will figure that out in a few days or so," Rock Thunderheart seemed to dismiss the thought, causing Leo to get a bit disappointed. _But I don't really understand what you meant…_

Leo glanced down at the hanger doors, seeing them now open. Another replica hanger was connected to theirs, making it almost seem like a mirror. People were flooding in and out of the two hangers, making a blur of colors below them.

"Why don't you two go explore a bit?" his mentor's suggestion made him look back at the older man.

"But don't we have training to do?" Leo's question made the more experienced frame runner laugh. Leo didn't find it so funny; he thought it was more of a serious question. Of course, Celvice didn't have training to do, so maybe that's what he had been laughing about.

"Go ahead and have fun for a bit," his mentor waved them off, making Leo realize that this was going to be another weird day. _He's not acting like he normally does, then again, maybe he has a serious side to him as well as this one…_

"That was certainly… interesting," Leo had paused for a moment, wanting to come up with the right word to describe the situation. Celvice gave a small laugh as they continued walking into the other hanger. Just as he had thought, the hanger didn't look any different than theirs.

"This should be fun though," he glanced over at her, seeing her smile as she looked ahead of them, "Maybe we'll even meet some new friends."

_Always the optimist,_ he thought with a smile, glad that he at least at one friend. She always seemed to be looking up, no matter how bad the situation was.

"Where should we start?" he asked, trying to look around through the large amount of people. It really stunk when most of the other people around you were taller…

"Maybe we should just head into the hallway?" Celvice suggested, pointing towards the door that would hopefully give them a bit more room. Leo agreed; he sort of felt like he was being squashed.

"That's a good place to… start," the last word came out slowly as the doors opened, causing Leo to realize that they weren't going into a hallway. They were going into an elevator. "This is an elevator. How do they have an elevator?"

Celvice looked over at him, laughing a bit at his expression. "I guess we have a long way to go."

"I think this tour is self-guided too. I don't see anyone who could help us with our way around…"

"Maybe we should have asked Mr. Thunderheart to come with us?" Celvice's suggestion made him look back at where his mentor should have been, but he saw that he was already gone. The elevator doors closed a moment later, trapping them inside.

"We might be in trouble," he gave a nervous laugh, stepping back a bit from the doors and pressing one of the buttons.

The elevator started to move upwards, being pushed from below by a strong air current. Leo watched the Metatron course through the lines in the elevator, most likely powering it after the air current was out of reach. He really didn't know what to say.

"It's sort of like a homecoming," Celvice stated softly as they watched the floors increase, "it's nice that everyone gets to see each other again, despite being separated for a long while."

"Yeah," he nodded, remembering that she had just gotten back from Antilia a few days ago. He hoped she wasn't homesick already… "How was your trip to Antilia?"

"The repairs seem to be going well, and I was really glad to see everyone," Celvice looked over at him, an unknown emotion in her eyes. She almost looked sad. "You should really come with me sometime. I'm sure that everyone would be glad to see you."

"I hate to say it Celvice, but there's no one there to see. I don't know anyone," he adverted his gaze to stare at the Metatron infused lines again, "it just doesn't make much sense."

"I'm sure my mom and dad wouldn't mind you coming to visit, and don't you want to find your-?" he cut Celvice off before she could finish.

"No, I don't. I don't have any idea where he could be, and besides, he didn't seem all that interested in having his son around anyway," he concluded, hoping that she would drop the subject. It was strange how he had felt so much more comfortable talking about the same subject with ADA, but he found it harder with everyone else.

Celvice stayed quiet for a few moments, and he was afraid he had hurt her feelings. When she spoke again, her voice was barely audible, "You could always come visit me."

Her statement made him turn to look at her. Her gaze was cast to the floor, and he felt the hidden meaning behind her words. "So, your stays might be more permanent next time?"

"I'm not sure yet," she shook her head, then turning her gaze to his, "but I can't just leave my family. They need me as much as I need them."

A mechanical voice interrupted anything else that would have been said. "You have arrived at your destination. Please exit via the doors to your left."

"Maybe I will come visit you then," he gave her a small smile, exiting through the doors and into the hallway, ready to leave the conversation behind and see how different the freighter was.

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This chapter turned out way more… depressing (not sure if that is the right word to describe it) than I had originally planned. I wanted to put Leo and Celvice in a situation that was sort of like a field trip (exploring another planet was the only other option, and I didn't think that the Atlantis would make a 'planet pit stop' on the way to Mars). Sorry if anyone was a bit OOC; trying to work out how to write Celvice since it's my first time writing anything with her in it (I did have fun though). I hope you guys enjoyed this and please tell me any thoughts in a review!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	3. Instinct

**Delphi913:** Yeah I was hoping to add some more places during the course of this fanfiction (it's not like Leo only stays on the Atlantis during that two year time skip :) ). And I have a plan for that too (more explanation at the end of the chapter). Thanks once again!

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Instinct

Leo believed he had never felt so frustrated in his life other than that moment. The reason for his frustration: the holo-desk in front of him. Well, if he was honest, it wasn't necessarily the desk that was the issue; it was his assignment for the day.

The studies he took as an in-training pilot were useful. They supplied him with strategies for taking down enemies and allowed him to learn more about the Orbital Frames. The learning part wasn't the problem; it was mainly the testing part.

Leo had never really thought about the fact that he wasn't good at tests. They never really had anything quite akin to school on Antilia, so he hadn't needed to take them. Of course they learned necessary skills, like reading and writing, but everything else he felt like he had learned from a book, or maybe from watching someone. The fact that he had to be tested on what he had learned was new.

Today's assignment was on the sub weapons that Orbital Frames could use. Of course, the Vic Viper's arsenal of sub weapons was less extensive than Jehuty's was, since the Earth Orbital Frame was still in the testing stages, but that didn't seem to be the problem.

He sighed as he wrote down the answers, or at least what he thought were the answers, and pressed the submit button. The test was now locked, meaning that whatever he had written down was final. Instantly, he started to second guess his answers.

_There's nothing I can do about it now,_ he stood up and left the room, wondering what the worst that could happen would be. He went through the scenarios in his mind, not even noticing when someone came walking up to him.

"Leo," he had been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he hadn't noticed Celvice approach. She gave him a smile, and he already knew what she was going to say. "How was the test?"

"I think I flunked," he answered honestly, not wanting to say otherwise. It would be great if he had better confidence in his skills, but he already knew that he didn't yet, so there was no point in lying.

"I'm sure you did fine," she encouraged, but then continued when she realized her normal tactic wasn't boosting his spirits, "What makes you so sure you did poorly?"

"I don't know. I just can't remember anything when they sit me down like that," he shrugged, not quite sure of how to explain it, "I can remember everything about the sub weapons when I'm piloting Jehuty, or even the Vic Viper, but it just seems to go right out of my head when they want me to write it down. It's almost like…"

"Instinct?" she offered, and he nodded. It did feel like an instinct; he knew what to do when the time came, but he wasn't quite sure of all the details.

Celvice's pace increased a bit and she turned to stand in front of him, blocking his path a bit. She could really tell how worried he was about it, but he wasn't sure if she understood why he was concerned so much.

"The worst that could happen is that you have to retake the test, right?" she asked gently, causing him to nod. The problem wasn't that; he didn't mind retaking the test. The problem was that his mind was thinking years, or maybe even months into the future.

"It's not that I'm worried about," he walked around her, heading over to lean on the wall, "what if I have to tell people what to do someday, like in a battle? What if I can't remember the formations and someone ends up getting hurt because of my mistakes?"

He glanced over at his friend, finding the guilt to still be there. No matter how many times Celvice told him he couldn't have stopped what happened, he still couldn't get rid of the feeling that it was his fault she had gotten hurt. And it didn't stop there either…

"Leo, you might not have to do any of that someday," Celvice's words were meant to comfort him, but he just felt worse.

"But what if I have to Celvice? What if they need me to and-?" he started to ask, but her hand on his arm made him stop. The small gesture made his gaze travel to the floor.

"Leo, you don't have to fight any more if you don't want to. You've already done what they wanted, but it's your choice now as to what you do."

He looked up at her and gave her a small smile, feeling a bit better. She might not understand fully all of his fears, or even his motivations for doing things sometimes, but at least she would be there for him.

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This one is definitely shorter than the others, but I wasn't quite sure how to continue. There is definitely going to be a few reoccurring themes throughout the chapters, and motivations or feelings for something may not be revealed right away, but they will be in time. I do have an ending for this, it just might not be for a while (and everything builds up to the ending). I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did writing it!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	4. Nightmares

**Fireminer:** Haha, funny thing is that I have been trying to plan one with Dingo (for after the epilogue, as a bonus) while keeping towards the theme of the fanfiction, but that shouldn't be for a while since all of these chapters are in-between ZoE and the 2nd Runner. I would like to have more with Dingo and Ken though (for afterwards), so if you have any ideas, please let me know!

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Nightmares

Leo jolted awake, his fear making him sit up in his bed. He was shaking slightly, but not from the cold; it had been something far worse. _Another nightmare,_ he thought, letting out a disheartened sigh as he ran his hand through his sweaty hair.

Leo should have expected that nightmares would be common by now; he had been shoved into too much at once, and that had consequences. Not that he wasn't doing a good job of taking it in stride, but his nightly dreams haunted him.

The nightmares weren't always the same, but the theme of them generally was. Usually, it contained Anubis, the twin frame of Jehuty that he had encountered at the Hub. Someone, or maybe even multiple people, was normally there too, and the outcome was always the same: they always were killed.

No matter how much he told himself that it was a dream, the outcome still scared him. Anubis would always kill whoever had been in the room – sometimes, it was Celvice, other times it was Rock Thunderheart or Elena, or maybe even his father – and then the Orbital Frame would come for him. He always woke up before he was killed in the dream though.

He released a shaky breath, trying to calm his nerves. It had just been a dream, so why did it bother him so much? At the end of the day, everyone was fine, so he shouldn't be so worried.

_But what if I can't protect them?_ He wondered, pushing the covers away from his body. The thought persisted as he exited the room, deciding to walk off his nerves.

Everything that he saw or felt in the dream, it was always so _real_; like no matter how many times he tried to reassure himself that this wasn't happening, he just couldn't let it go. He turned down one of the hallways; letting his feet guide him as his thoughts wandered.

The other kids on Antilia used to tease him about his dreams. Sure, he used to have nightmares back on the colony, but they seemed insignificant compared to the ones he had now. They always used to say that you woke up before you died in a dream because if you did die while dreaming, then you would die in the real world too. Leo wasn't quite sure why he had confided in them, or even if he really believed in what they had told him, but some part of it made sense. _Which means that I never want to die in a dream._

His focus came back to where his feet had led him, causing him to realize that he was in the hanger. His gaze wandered over to Jehuty, which was still in the process of major repairs.

"Maybe a quick visit with ADA will help," he muttered, wandering over to the frame. He touched the exterior of the cockpit and felt the familiar texture of the 'screen' fade away. Hopping into the seat and allowing the 'screen' to fill over the cockpit again gave him a sense of security.

As he waited for the cockpit to activate, his mind wandered to what could be causing the nightmares. Obviously, his grief over Celvice getting injured was one of them, and he didn't want that to happen again. Maybe the fear of others that he cared about being taken away from him caused anxiety too?

_I wish that he wouldn't have to go,_ Leo thought, silently chastising himself at the idea. Rock Thunderheart was scheduled to go on some sort of 'mission' with a squad of other pilots, so maybe that could have been something that was bothering him. _No, it's definitely bothering me. What if he doesn't come back?_

The inside of the cockpit lit up blue, causing him to forget his depressing thoughts as he smiled. "Good morning," ADA's voice rang through the cockpit, causing him to laugh at the truth. ADA was right about it being morning; it was probably around three o'clock.

"Good morning, ADA," he answered back, feeling better already now that he felt a sense of normalcy. Leo normally didn't visit ADA because of his busy schedule, that and most people didn't like someone in the cockpit when the repairs were being done. He didn't mind though, so he snuck off whenever he could to visit.

"Repairs to Jehuty are still on-going. This frame is considered to be in a restricted access to all but a few operatives. What is the meaning of your presence here?" 'She' asked him, causing him to lean back in the seat a bit. Explaining to ADA that he was technically breaking the rules wouldn't do much, but he figured he could at least tell 'her' the truth.

"I guess I just needed someone to talk to."

"There are countless other presences aboard the _Atlantis_. Would another have been more suitable to talk to?"

"No, I don't think so," he shook his head, knowing that ADA wouldn't necessarily object to him talking to 'her', "I just have a lot on my mind."

ADA didn't answer him and he didn't expect 'her' to. He just felt comfortable even sitting in the silence, listening to the sounds of the Orbital Frame that had become familiar to him. When he was piloting Jehuty, he could forget all about his nightmares, but he knew he would have to use the Vic Viper for a while longer. _Maybe forever, if ADA goes through with her mission…_

"ADA, you once told me not to throw my life away," he started, hesitant that 'she' would know he was trying another attempt to dissuade the mission, "but why would you give yours away so easily after you told me not to?"

"It is the existence bestowed upon a lifeless being such as myself," came her routine answer. He sighed, wondering if 'she' knew any other way of explaining it.

"But you aren't lifeless; your life has meaning too, even if you are who you are. You can't just throw it away," he tried again, finding that his hope was fading with every day that passed. How would he be able to convince ADA not to sacrifice 'herself'?

"I have no other purpose other than the programs instilled into me," ADA's answer made his sadness come back, "After the mission is fulfilled, I will no longer be needed."

_That's not true; I'll still need you,_ he thought, remembering the conversations that he and ADA had on their way to the Hub. He knew it was no use; ADA wouldn't change 'her' mind, but he was going to continue trying up until Jehuty had to leave. _It's the least I can do._

He felt depressed at the thought, but quickly tried to think towards happier things. Leo had gone to a form of counseling while in Antilia; one of the older ladies that lived in his residential unit had been a psychiatrist before being transported to the colony, so she had been able to help him deal with his feelings on life. Despite his experience with his 'depression', he found that the tips she had given him weren't helping.

"ADA, I know that this probably isn't the case, but have you ever had a nightmare?" he asked after a pause, finding that 'her' answer would be obvious, but maybe talking about what had caused him to come out here in the first place might help to calm him.

"No, for I am incapable of feeling such things. There have been recorded instances of the term 'nightmare', but I have never experienced such a thing."

"Oh, ok then," he mumbled, feeling slightly sleepy again, "they are scary though. They feel so real, it's like everything that you fear comes true."

He wasn't going to tell ADA that 'her' leaving was one of such nightmares that he had in the beginning, and even more so now. He knew that Jehuty would be done with repairs in a matter of months, and then everything would change.

"I am not capable of feeling such 'fear', but your feelings are not illogical," 'she' answered, causing him to smile. When he thought back to how different the two of them had been when he had first stumbled upon Jehuty, it was funny to see how much they had changed.

"Thanks," he whispered, figuring that he should get back to bed. He had more lessons in the morning, so he didn't want to accidently sleep through those. "ADA, can I still continue to visit you?"

"If that is what you wish, although the 'visit' is not unwanted," Leo smiled at 'her' answer, finding that maybe ADA needed his company just as much as he needed 'hers'.

He nodded, finding that the dark clouds that had been his nightmares had become less threatening. "Good night ADA," he climbed out of the cockpit, not before hearing a reciprocated "good night".

* * *

Wow, it's been a while since I have written anything (well, for this fanfiction, I mean. I'm still working on a few pre-writings for Zone of the Enders). Personally, I had to keep rewriting this chapter because no matter how many times I put it, it didn't come out as well as I had hoped. Hopefully this one was better (I certainly feel much more confident with this revision). Rock Thunderheart's 'mission' will be mentioned more in the next chapter; I just figured I would leave a little teaser for the next one. Either way, please tell me what you thought of this chapter in a review!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	5. Worry

**Fireminer:** Now that you mention it, I wonder why I didn't even think about that! Thank you so much! The ideas are flowing in my head :) That might have to be a multi-chapter arch! And I haven't played the Fist of Mars, but I want to so, _so_ badly. I'm searching Ebay and Amazon for some sort of luck on finding one.

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Chapter 5: Worry

A few days had passed and then Rock Thunderheart had to go on his mission. Leo had no clue where they were going, nor what they were doing, but he couldn't necessarily stop them. He was quickly learning that anything the UNSF did was important.

"It'll only be a few days. You'll be fine, kid," his mentor had reassured him, probably knowing how nervous he had felt. At the time, Leo really did believe him. The UNSF planned out their strategies according to the situation at hand, trying to make them the least risky that they could.

So Leo waited for a few days, finding other things to fill his day. The days had passed and then turned into a week. Elena informed him that they had lost contact with the group on the eighth day. His nightly visits with ADA became more frequent as his worry grew.

_Where are they? Are they alright? Do they need help? What if he doesn't come back?_ The thoughts that plagued his mind were constant, ripping away at the confidence that he had held earlier that week. Where had all of it gone? His mentor had said that everything would be fine, but where was he now? Did he even remember what he had said?

The seven days turned into another week, and then another, before the group of Orbital Frames and LEVs had appeared on the _Atlantis _radar. The frames had long since entered the hanger and pilots were still celebrating over a successful mission, yet Leo could not name the feeling that had taken over him.

Rock Thunderheart stood a few feet away, most likely informing Elena about the mission's outcome. Leo walked closer to them, feeling almost shy. Maybe shy wasn't the right word; was it embarrassed? Angry? Disappointed? None of the words seemed to fit.

His mentor finally seemed to take notice that he was there and came over with a full-fledged smile, obviously not realizing how miserable Leo felt. "The mission went great," his friend informed him, making him realize how tired he was of hearing it, "I hope you figured something new out while I was gone."

Leo nodded half-heartedly, the feeling sinking further into him. "Yeah, but…"

"Practice will start up again tomorrow at the same time as usual," the older pilot probably didn't realize that he was starting to make his way towards someone else, leaving Leo behind a bit.

"I-" he started, glancing down at the ground before finally being able to say what was on his mind, "you said it was only a few days." His voice came out softer than he had thought it would, causing his friend to have trouble hearing him.

"Hmm?" Rock glanced back at him, stopping when he realized the expression on Leo's face. The boy guessed that he had been so preoccupied with everything else that he hadn't noticed.

"You said the mission would only take a few days. That was three weeks ago," Leo finally found his voice again, "I was worried you weren't going to come back…" The word finally came to him, verbalizing what he had been feeling. Worry that he would lose someone close to him all over again…

"So that's what this is about," his mentor mumbled before coming back towards him, "Leo, I'm sorry, but we lost communication and there was no way to get a message through."

Leo nodded, his gaze still on the floor. The feeling seemed much deeper than he had originally thought, making his discomfort grow. "I know that," he whispered.

They were silent for a moment, and then everything became clear to the both of them. Leo had never felt this way before because he never had anyone to care about, but Rock Thunderheart was sort of like the father he never had. He didn't want the closest thing to family taken from him.

"Leo, I'm not going to just up and leave," Rock placed a hand on Leo head and ruffled his hair a bit, causing the boy to smile. Despite the fact that his mentor had come back late, it had revealed a few things to both of them.

* * *

Yeah, another short one, but I figured that I wanted to get a chapter on parent relationships in this one. I always thought that (in between the first and second games) Leo and Rock Thunderheart would have this father-son relationship after a while, considering Leo never really had any contact with his father. I know I said that more information on the 'mission' would be revealed, but I didn't find it necessary to add too much in this chapter. Maybe I can add more details later, considering the plot does develop with some mention of what has been happening between BAHRAM and the UNSF during the two years. Either way, I would like to hear any thoughts on this chapter and sorry that it was so short.

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	6. Learn From The Past

**Delphi913:** I was actually thinking about adding something like that in, but I still have to work through a few things. Also, thanks for the tip!

* * *

Chapter 6: Learn From The Past

Leo found Elena in the control room of the _Atlantis_ a few hours ago. Since he was done with any assignments that needed completed, he figured that he would stick around for a bit.

The control room was quieter than usual; no one else except Elena had been there the entire time, so she had been alone until he had joined her. In a way, he liked the silence. It gave him time to think, which was what he figured he needed today.

An occasional click from the keys would project through the empty space of the room, distracting him for a moment. He knew where the click came from – Elena was typing something into the main documents drive – but the sound was too spaced out at points to allow him any peace. If anything, the typing kept his thoughts spread out as well, making him unable to come to a conclusion.

His gaze traveled slightly over towards the second-in-command of the _Atlantis_. She hadn't changed much over the past months that he had been here, but he had noticed that she was more caring than he had originally thought. In a way, she seemed almost like a surrogate older sister to everyone; stern when needed but also someone great to talk to if you had a problem.

_And to think I thought everyone with the UNSF was a trigger-happy killer,_ the thought made him quickly turn his gaze back to the screen he had been monitoring.

There was nothing special about the screen; it showed the different hallways and meeting rooms of the _Atlantis_ on a split screen. He wasn't even that interested in the contents of the screen. Occasionally, a group of engineers would walk through the hallways or a doctor would return to the medical bay. The slight change in the monitor would hold his attention for a few moments before he became bored.

The real reason he was there… the real reason why he was staring at the screen was because he couldn't find the right words to voice what had been bothering him. If he had something to do, he didn't have to worry about his thoughts or emotions getting in the way (well, most of the time).

It was moments like these, either when he had finished his work early or when he was alone at night, that he wished he had something to do. It made everything so much easier…

"Alright Leo, why are you here?" Elena's question startled him a bit. He glanced over to see she was still typing.

"I got all my assignments done for today so I figured I would stay here," his answer wasn't a complete lie. Even so, that wasn't the main reason he had decided to stick around.

Elena's eyes shifted from the screen to stare at him for a moment; her typing ceased as she turned away from the panel. "There's nothing more to do here either," he bit his lip in discomfort at the answer, which didn't go unnoticed. She continued as her gaze softened. "I know that you don't stare at that monitor for fun."

The rest of her statement caused a small laugh to slip from him, but it sounded slightly stressed and dry, which was exactly what he had been trying to avoid. Elena was pretty good at picking up on that sort of thing, and she knew just when someone was holding back.

"Maybe I do," he answered, then cringed inwardly as her gaze became slightly scolding. He turned back to grip the railing in front of the monitor, shifting his gaze back to the screen. "I don't know. I-"

His sentence cut off before he could finish it. He waited a few moments for Elena to reply, but then the typing resumed. Her actions almost surprised him; normally she would find a way to make him talk.

_Except that's what she's doing,_ he thought as he resisted the urge to look over at her again, afraid that if he did his question would come pouring out; _that would only hurt everyone. She'll wait it out though until I figure it out, I know it._

A small, childish part of him wished that she would be more concerned or possibly ask him what was wrong. The only problem was, as the more adult part of him knew, she already had done that and he hadn't answered, so it was his fault.

The more they stood in silence, the more his thoughts consumed him. He would start to think – no, remember a bit – and then he would find that minutes had passed where he didn't remember watching the monitor. The time stretched on, causing him to wonder if he should leave.

_But I can't leave it alone,_ the truth made him look to the ground, and he found that the question poured out with it.

"What was he like?"

The typing stopped for a brief second before it resumed. "Who?" she asked, her voice clueless about who he was actually referring to.

Leo stayed silent for a few moments, feeling as though he had made a mistake. His answer flew out of his mouth before he could really process it.

"Alan."

Silence filled the room as he felt her gaze wander back to him. He was surprised that he was even able to speak, but now a weight in his chest was settling.

"Is this about-?" Elena started to ask, but she changed her mind mid-sentence, "he was kind and knew a lot about mechanics, especially Orbital Frames. Ever since I first met him, he always said he wanted to pilot one, but being from Earth made it hard to actually find one. BAHRAM was in possession of the known Orbital Frames at the time, so I'm surprised he didn't join them."

A small laugh slipped from her at what she had said, but he still felt horrible. He could tell it caused her pain to talk about him.

"Why didn't he?" The question burst from him. He felt desperate almost, wanting to know… _what exactly am I looking for?_

"BAHRAM hates Earth and we aren't necessarily right either," her answer made his eyes widen, "they wouldn't let him join, but he soon realized that it became about more than just machines."

_Ethics_ was the unspoken thought that followed. The weight in his chest grew heavier as she continued.

"When the report came that two Orbital Frames had been discovered being stored on the colony, he was eager to go. Of course I didn't need to ask why, but I did anyway. He said it was time to start protecting what really mattered."

_What really mattered._ The phrase stuck in his mind. He had learned a bit about the earlier stages of the war between BAHRAM and the UNSF in his lessons and in some of the archives. Of course BAHRAM had an obvious edge with the possession of the Orbital Frames…_ why did he have to go?_

"Hmm?" Elena's gaze trailed towards him again, making him realize he had asked the question out loud. She took a deep breath and was silent for a moment. "He said he had something else he had to do there, something involving the Orbital Frames. He was a mechanic, so he-"

For some reason, Elena cut her sentence off. He glanced over at her, seeing confliction in her eyes for a brief second. _I've hurt her too much,_ was his first thought, causing him to brush away the suspicion that had started to grow.

"I'm not like him," his statement came out almost inaudibly, but he couldn't stop the pain from being transmitted.

Elena's gaze grew almost worried at his words. "Leo-" He cut her off before she could argue.

"No," he shook his head, his grip on the railing tightening, "I was selfish. I let so many people die and I didn't even want to bring Jehuty to the _Atlantis_. I'm not even sure what I wanted to do, but whatever it was, it wouldn't have helped anyone. If only I just-"

His throat tightened, making him unable to continue. The overwhelming thoughts flooded through him again; every choice that he could have made differently, every life that he could have saved…

He stiffened a bit in surprise as he felt Elena pull him into a hug. He hadn't even heard her come closer…

"Leo, none of that is on you," Elena's reply was strong whisper, "We all make mistakes and no matter how much we wish we could have changed things, we just have to live with it and move on."

Leo bit his lip as he felt something inside him break. _But I can't move on. I've never been able to._ The words echoed in his mind as he rested his forehead on her shoulder. One tear fell and then the next.

Several minutes passed before he felt slightly more composed. Elena's words stuck in his mind, causing him to look up at her.

"Do you ever wish you could have stopped him? From going, I mean."

Elena turned away from him and back to the keyboard. The typing resumed, leaving them in unspoken silence. He knew he shouldn't have asked. _I shouldn't have started this in the first place._

"Of course I do," he didn't miss the note of pain in her voice when she finally spoke, "but I can't change what happened. All I can do is learn from my mistakes and move on."

He nodded slowly, finding that there wasn't anything else that needed to be said. He caught a glimpse of the files that Elena was entering on his way out, but didn't think twice about them.

Leo had thought that voicing everything would have helped, but somehow he didn't feel any lighter.

* * *

Sorry it's been so long everyone (and sorry to load such a depressing chapter on you too)! I always thought that Leo would have some regrets about he acted in the first game, so I hope I conveyed that correctly. I still have a few more ideas to go through (and don't worry, Celvice will be coming back in it soon), but I might need a bit of help or else this fanfiction might be finishing quicker than I thought (not to worry anyone; I just need to think through a few more things). Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	7. Like or Not Alike?

**Fireminer:** Aww, thank you! I hope this was something along the lines of what you meant!

* * *

Chapter 7: Like or Not Alike?

Ever since Leo had realized that Rock Thunderheart was the parental figure in his life that he had been unknowingly missing, he couldn't help but make comparisons. Specifically from the little that he remembered about his father.

He knew it wasn't an entirely nice thing to do, but… _he's just so different from my father that I can't help it._

While the young Frame runner hadn't necessarily liked Rock Thunderheart at first, he had come to realize that there was more to people than he had first thought. Since both his father and mother had wanted to get rid of him, he had come to believe that most of humanity cared for their own self-interests. When he had met Celvice, his opinion had shifted a bit.

Since joining the UNSF after the Antilia raid, Leo had come to the conclusion that he had been a bit biased and close-minded; it all depended on the person in the end.

His mentor had come across as arrogant when Leo had first met him, but he now knew that it was alright to take pride in your accomplishments. It was another reason why he felt that he was learning so much from the more experienced Frame runner. The classes he had to attend, plus the personal training sessions with his mentor, had really broadened what he knew about Orbital Frames.

His mind floated back to one of the class sessions he had attended earlier in the week. Due to having lessons in strategy, the instructor had taught them a basic introduction to Psychology, which was important if they ever had to go up against human opponents (ever since his last 'endeavor,' Leo wanted to avoid that possibility as much as possible).

While the teacher had been giving an overview of the course for the next few weeks (which was being added as another study requirement), Leo had flipped through the table of contents. One topic had interested him greatly: the different types of parenting styles. This, now that he thought about it, was probably what had gotten him thinking about the subject so much.

When he was alone for the rest of that day, he had flipped to the section and read a bit into the chapter. Thus, he couldn't help but make comparisons now.

Leo had moved to Mars with his father, who was mainly at meetings and such. This resulted in him being left alone most of the time. His father came across as cold and indifferent, but Rock Thunderheart seemed to be the exact opposite. His mentor was trying to greatly take interest in his learning and well-being.

Leo wouldn't have said that his father was cruel, but he didn't necessarily have the best memories of living back on the Antilia colony. Even now though, he found himself wondering where his father had been at the time of the invasion. Was he alright? Despite not having many good memories of his father, Leo was still generally concerned about him.

Still, it wasn't like every time his father had went off to a business meeting that Leo felt worried he wasn't going to see him again; that sort of worry was what he felt when his mentor went on a mission. The business world and the life of a Frame runner were two very different comparisons. When Rock Thunderheart went on a mission, it could very well be his last (putting it in very extreme terms).

Maybe that was why Leo had genuinely felt his father-figure was in danger. The idea of someone else being taken from him made him realize just how important they were. Realizing that the Antilia raid was what had caused him to now feel similar concern for his actual father… he wasn't quite sure how he felt about it.

His thoughts became so muddled for the next few minutes that he decided to take a break from thinking about it too much. Only problem was… his next assignment wouldn't help much with that.

"Time to get writing," he mumbled, glancing over at the clock and know that, despite it saying that it was one o'clock in the morning, he wouldn't be getting to sleep anytime soon.

Part of the Psychology 'course' that he was taking required him to choose a topic from the book and write a starting essay on it. When they got to the end of the course, they would revise said paper and turn it in for a grade.

Lucky for him, he actually had a topic that he wanted to research. The only bad news was that it took up much of his thinking time that could be used for other tasks. _What does this course have to do with being a Frame runner?_ The question was answered in a multitude of ways: to better understand the way others thought, you had to understand how you think as well. This could be applied to the battlefield, among other things.

He thought back to all of the thoughts floating around in his head. "They always say personal experience is a good ally," he whispered, knowing that he would have to cover up some aspects of what he was thinking. This didn't mean that he couldn't apply what he was dealing with into the essay. Who knew, maybe through all of this he would come to a better understanding?

Hours later, when he was just about ready to turn off his tablet and head to bed, a message popped up in the display. Thinking that there would be no other explanation for a message this early unless it was urgent, he quickly opened it.

There was no subject and it appeared to be sent by a general announcement administrator instead of someone on his list of contacts. When he opened the message, however, he was soon filled with slight confusion and unbeknownst dread at the message, which simply read:

'The Valentine's Day Celebration is in a week.'

* * *

Now, I'm not entirely sure why this took me so long to write, and I apologize for that. I got swamped by schoolwork and got sick somewhere along the way, but I have to admit that I was sort of stumped. This chapter was a great recommendation and I apologize if I didn't get it entirely correct (I hope something along the lines of this is what you meant!). Also, Celvice will be appearing in the next chapter and I'm hoping to get some sort of start to their 'relationship' in it (the Valentine's Day party was mentioned a few chapters ago, so if you have something that you would like to see – with reason – I might be able to add it in). Sorry once again for the delay and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	8. Blooming Feelings

**Delphi913:** So sorry it was another long interval from updating! And I apologize that I'm not quite sure what 'high jinks' are, so I hope this delivered well. And that's actually a great idea! I'll probably do that in two chapters, so thank you for the suggestion!

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Chapter 8: Blooming Feelings

If there had been any doubt in his mind, the whole 'party' had confirmed his feelings on the announcement. The week had passed quickly, with not much going on except his daily lessons. When he had woken up the next day, however, it was like the ship had been transformed. Or, to be more specific, half of it was transformed.

Everything from his bedroom to the classrooms was normal, but the hanger, as well as a few rooms used for private briefings, was filled with colorful decorations and numerous tables. Most of the decorations depicted hearts or a strange, winged-human silhouette that Leo hadn't seen before. For some reason, he felt strangely embarrassed by the display.

His feet had taken him to one of the formerly private rooms, where some of the crew was doing various activities: slow dancing, chatting, and… drinking? The last scene greatly confused him for a number of reasons, but it did seem like they were serving some sort of alcoholic drink. _This… was not what I was expecting._

"You alright, kid?" his mentor's voice came from a behind him, causing the boy to turn around. Rock Thunderheart must have seen the confused expression on his face.

"Yeah… I think so," he still felt a bit awkward about the events happening in the room, "are they allowed to drink alcohol when there could possibly be an attack?"

"Ah," his mentor took a quick glanced into the room; "there's a limitation and only half of the crew are allowed to take the day off today. The other half gets to celebrate tomorrow."

"Half?" the more explaining that he heard didn't necessarily clear things up for him. "What are we celebrating anyway? Does it have something to do with that mission you went on?"

The older Frame runner shook his head. "No, not entirely. Remember when I told you about a holiday called 'Valentine's Day'?" Leo nodded, prompting him to continue, "well, it's like a celebration for couples, most often young people normally go on dates and-"

"OK then," Leo quickly cut him off, feeling even more awkward now. It wasn't like he had ever been in love, so the holiday really was more relevant to the older people on the ship… right?

The older man was giving him a calculating stare, making the boy wonder what he had done wrong. "Well…" his mentor started, but something seemed to catch his attention; "I guess you might be a bit too young for that sort of thing. Why don't you spend some time with Celvice today instead?"

"Yeah, that works," he nodded, spying his friend standing by one of the tables, looking just as awkward as he felt. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all, considering the fact that classes were most likely cancelled for the day and he didn't have much else to do. It would be nice to catch up with his friend.

"Good morning, Leo," Celvice greeted him, looking a bit more relaxed when she had spotted the boy coming towards her. He couldn't blame her for being uncomfortable; they were practically the two youngest members of the _Atlantis_. Plus, this holiday seemed a bit… Leo wasn't quite sure how to describe it.

"Good morning," he greeted back, leaning against the wall since there weren't any chairs to sit in. The young pilot still felt a bit out of place as he watched the older adults in the room. "So, did my teacher actually explain what this holiday was about?"

Leo hoped that, just maybe, the older Frame Runner had given Celvice a more descript explanation without the… awkwardness he had felt. She shook her head though, a light blush on her face as she looked away from him. "No, but Miss. Elena did explain things a bit."

No further explanation came after that, causing the two to grow quiet. The room was filled with laughter and music, but the young pilot was trying to figure out what else they could do. An idea hit him, one that most likely wouldn't cause any trouble.

"Celvice, do you want to take a walk around the ship? Half of it seems decorated, but I didn't see much before coming here." He suggested, figuring that they would be allowed to. It was just a walk around the ship and then… he wasn't sure what they would do after that but it was a start.

"Sure. Maybe we could visit the hangers too." She nodded, a smile on her face as she followed him out the room. He got the subtle hint: maybe they could visit ADA while they were there too._ Then I'll finally have a legitimate excuse to tell ADA for visiting._

As they were exiting the room, they ran into Elena. After greetings were exchanged, they continued on their way to view the rest of the ship. Leo couldn't help but feel as though something was off about today. Despite the holiday, both Elena and his mentor were acting somewhat strange. And Celvice…

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, glancing over at her and feeling concern when he realized how red her face looked. Of course, the crowdedness of the other room might have been getting to her. If that was the case, he was glad that they had moved elsewhere.

"Yes, I'm fine," she nodded in reassurance quite quickly, her face still a bit red. The tint in her cheeks went away a bit as they continued to walk, marveling at the different decorations. Streamers of red and pink covered the doorways and white banners were strung up with varied messages along the hallways.

As they approached the hallway to the hanger, a strange display caught his attention. Leo walked over to it, Celvice following close behind. The display was shaped like half of a heart but was filled with different shades of red, pink, and white.

"They're cards," Leo remarked as he opened one of them and saw writing inside. The boy glanced over at Celvice, seeing her do the same; although she actually took time to read what was in the card. Another smile, this one softer, appeared on her face.

"Valentine's Day cards." She affirmed with a nod, closing the one card and opening another. "Apparently people on the ship wrote them and placed them here."

"Who are they for?" The boy opened one of the cards, finding that he didn't recognize the name inside. It must have been written from one of the mechanics or repair crews. Leo didn't have much interaction with other groups outside of his class other than the reconnaissance crew and the group that was repairing Jehuty.

"Different people, maybe someone's love interest or close friend," as Celvice said this, her face lit up again, but her voice didn't waver. She tilted her head a bit in confusion as she stepped away from the wall, turning around and observing the whole display. "Why only half a heart though?"

Leo wondered the same, but his mentor's words came back to him. "There's another party tomorrow, since only half the crew is allowed to take off. Maybe the other half will be filled then."

"Sort of like answers to these ones?" The smile never left her face and Leo found that, as he answered, he was looking at her for the first time, like he knew her but found something new about her. Her blue hair was pulled back in its normal, loose braid and she was wearing an ankle-length dress of a similar color with a white jacket. The sight left him somewhat unable to think for a moment, so he simply nodded.

"Yeah."

The young pilot was so lost in thought that he hadn't realized that Celvice had started towards the hanger again. "Are you coming?" her voice brought him back to reality as she turned towards him. He smiled and nodded, following after her through the hanger doors.

Thankfully, the hanger seemed to be untouched by the decorations outside. Leo didn't know how he would have felt if he had come in to see Jehuty decorated with streamers and the strange winged-humanoid silhouettes floating around. The lights were a bit dimmed, so they had to be careful not to trip over anything on their way down to the Orbital Frame.

The repair stairs were still in front of the Orbital Frame, which made getting to it much easier. Their footsteps echoed off the metal stairs as they climbed, Leo first and then Celvice. He had offered for her to go in first, considering that it seemed the polite thing to do, but she had insisted that he went in first. He had been the first one to have contact with the Orbital Frame.

He hit the control seat with a thud, jumping down much faster than he had first anticipated. Leo hadn't been to visit ADA for a few weeks now, so the idea that he would get to talk to 'her' was nice. Celvice would also be able to say hi too.

Speaking of which… the boy stood back up to help his friend into the cockpit. The long dress made getting in harder for her, but they eventually were able to get situated with them sitting side by side. The position wasn't the most comfortable – it certainly showed how much more they had grown in the past months – but it brought back some fun memories. As the screen over the cockpit closed above them, he smiled at the sense of déjà vu.

"I haven't been in here since…" Celvice trailed off, thinking the same thing he had. Unlike the young pilot, the girl hadn't snuck off in the middle of the night to visit the Orbital Frame, so it really had been a long time for her.

"Yeah, it sure seems like such a long time," Leo nodded, finding the darkness of the control room comforting. He hadn't started up the Orbital Frame yet, finding that for once he wanted to sit in silence for a few extra moments. Even though he had been visiting ADA, it had been a long time since he had piloted Jehuty.

"Ready to say hi?" Celvice asked after another moment, looking over at him with another soft smile. She seemed just as excited as he felt.

"Yep," the boy's hands flew to the controls. He laughed when the lights started to flicker on. The humming of the Metatron-powered engine and the lights of the control screen were enough nostalgia to make him almost cry. He wasn't even sure why.

A few more seconds passed as the Orbital Frame powered on. ADA's familiar voice rang through the cockpit as the main viewing screen popped up. "Good morning, Leo, Celvice," 'she' greeted the two of them, sensing their presences.

"Good morning, ADA," the both of them greeted at the same time, wide smiles on their faces. More screens popped up around them.

"Scanners indicate that a high level of activity is present on the _Atlantis_, even more so than usual." The AI calculated, causing Celvice to let out a small laugh of delight.

"Yeah, there's a holiday today," Leo answered, feeling strangely happy and sad at the same time. The two of them like this; it brought back good and bad memories, as well as unanswered questions.

"It's been a long time since I've last talked with you, ADA. How have you been?" Celvice inquired politely. The boy felt a stab of pain; he hadn't told the girl about ADA's fatal mission. Still, his friend would have probably been sad if he had.

"Not much activity has occurred aboard this Orbital Frame. Repairs are at a 63% completion." ADA's words seemed to drive the guilt and pain further, but Leo didn't outwardly show it. The AI probably could tell because of physical or mental factors, but he hoped it wouldn't be brought up.

"That's great news," Celvice said with joy, unaware of the implications. "You're almost back to being better."

"If you mean that Jehuty's restoration is nearly complete, then yes."

Leo laughed along with his friend at ADA's rewording. 'She' still seemed to be new to some terminology, but 'she' had learned a lot since the Antilia raid. Silence filled the cockpit for a moment before Celvice spoke up.

"You know, I wasn't sure what to think when you showed up with Jehuty, Leo," her words were pensive as she stared at her hands. "I almost thought that it was another machine, ready to get rid of me. All I could think about was making sure that everyone was alright, but I was so relieved when it was you…"

"Celvice…" he started, not sure of what to say. She didn't speak much of what happened because of the memories brought up of her injury. Slowly but surely though, she seemed to be getting better. It would take time. "I'm just glad you weren't hurt either. ADA had scanned the area and everyone else had already evacuated."

"I couldn't take that chance though," she shook her head, hands clasped together. Her green eyes almost seemed to reflect the fire that had burned that day. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if someone would have been hurt when I could have helped."

"The only other lifeforms that Jehuty's scanners picked up were the pilots of the enemy Orbital Frames," ADA commented, causing them both to laugh again.

"See…" he started, but the AI cut him off before he could continue.

"Past data also indicates that Leo's stress raised when you disappeared, as well as the appearance of a few 'curses.'"

"ADA!" Leo shouted, feeling quite embarrassed with the implications of the revelation could mean. His face lit up, but Celvice poked his shoulder, a slightly stern expression on her face.

"Leo, no cursing," she chided, almost playfully, as she looked at him. This only caused his face to turn redder. He avoided her gaze, casting it towards the main screen.

"Sorry, but you had me worried."

"Still, no cursing." Her words were final, but her gaze had softened. She understood, but the 'no cursing' rule was quite firm in her beliefs. He was lucky that she didn't chide him anymore.

"The scanners have also picked up an abnormal object within Jehuty's cockpit," ADA's proclamation caused confusion to run through him. He thought for a moment that 'she' was still referring to the Antilia raid.

"Huh?"

"An abnormal object is a few inches above your heads." The AI's words caused the boy to look upwards, at the back wall of the control chamber. His confusion only grew when he saw a strange plant there.

"They actually placed something in here? What is that?" For some reason, the red and white 'plant' made his face lit up again. For what reason, he couldn't remember. He thought he had seen the plant before… but maybe in a different color scheme…

"I-It's a fake… m-mistletoe…" Celvice stuttered, her face becoming red as her voice faded. He glanced down at her, feeling as though the 'plant' was out of place.

"But wait… isn't that a part of another holiday?" He asked, finally getting the decoration down. He studied the paper and foil 'plant' as he sat down, confusion etched onto his face.

Celvice suddenly leaned towards him, her face still red but determination in her gaze. His eyes widened when she gave him a shy peck on his cheek, causing his face to turn red again. A small, almost nervous, laugh left him as she leaned away, a small smile on her face as she took glances at him. The message was clear though.

"T-that's what you're supposed to do, right?" he asked, stammering and unsure. Somehow, the action held deeper meaning for the both of them. Celvice just nodded shyly, a blush still painted on her face. Leo found that it was quite adorable though.

ADA had remained quiet through the whole exchange, but the AI's voice caused Leo to refocus on reality. "There is an incoming transmission. I will patch it through."

"Huh?" Another confused expression left his mouth, but it quickly turned to shock as the video message was sent through. On the screen were two of the most unlikely people he thought would be spying on them.

"Congrats you two!" Rock Thunderheart seemed overly excited while Elena was standing behind him, a knowing smile on her face. Seeing the two adults caused Leo's face to heat up in embarrassment again.

"Y-you've been spying on us?!"

"Y-you never said that this was what you meant…" Celvice trailed off, her face red as well. The boy looked over at her as the realization slipped into his mind. _Elena and my mentor set this up?!_

"Uh… um…" Leo wasn't quite sure what to say, so instead, incoherent thoughts were spilling from his mouth. Celvice remained quiet beside him, making him wonder if she was upset.

"Don't worry; we got the whole thing on video!" His mentor's words only caused further panic to surge through him.

"What?!"

Several hours later, after Leo had been successful on getting away from the two adults and thanking Celvice for the nice company, the boy found himself back at the card wall. It was probably later than he should have been up, but his feelings wouldn't let him sleep. Celvice liked him? The idea both excited and scared him. He couldn't deny the way he had worried over her safety and the relief that he had felt when she had been released from recovery. That was all just something a friend would do… right? The more he thought about it, the more that he realized that the feeling had turned into something more.

_But, how does this even work? What am I supposed to do? It's not like my parents were great role models for being in love…_ the thought seemed a bit harsh, but it was true.

So, at this late hour of the night, Leo found that he took solace in reading the cards plastered on the wall. Tomorrow, there would be more cards included, completing the heart. His hands skimmed to the next card, a pretty white card with drawn decorations and cursive letters. He opened the card, the breath leaving him when he realized that he recognized the writing.

_Celvice… wrote me a card,_ the thought made him freeze as he stared at the writing, realizing how simple and pretty her handwriting actually was. He didn't have much chance to observe it back on Antilia, but they had exchanged written emails while she had been visiting her family. The words flooded his vision as he leaned closer to read it fully:

_Dear Leo,_

_ Happy Valentine's Day! I know we don't get a lot of chances to spend time together as often as we used to, but that's all a part of growing older and going along our respective paths. Still, when I find myself home, I find that my thoughts are constantly on your wellbeing._

_ I hope that your day is filled with fun and you make some good memories! Even if you don't feel the same way, I'm so glad that I have been able to be your friend!_

_ Love,_

_ Celvice_

Leo continued to stare at the letter, feeling a strange feeling in his chest. He broke into a smile though, wondering if he would be able to keep the card once the celebration was over. He probably would be able to. Another thought stuck him as he walked back to his room.

_Tomorrow… Celvice, that's when you'll get your card._

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I know that this is so, so, so late and I'm sorry! Although a Valentine's chapter in June might be a bit refreshing. I think so anyway, considering that most holidays the archives get flooded with holiday fanfictions, so much that some can get lost. Still, I am very sorry that this is late by months, but I hope the content and slightly longer length would make up for it. As for romance, I've only recently delved into writing it, so I apologize if this isn't as good as some other fanfictions. I find Celvice and Leo's relationship as cute and sweet, so I tried to make it like that~ I could also just see Rock Thunderheart and Elena setting them up :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll be eagerly working on the next one!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


	9. Glimpses of the Future

**Delphi193: **Thank you for understanding! It was my first time writing something like that, so I'm glad it was well received :D Haha, oops I should have known that. My bad!

**Maga016:** Thanks! It's nice to know that this has caught your interest!

* * *

Chapter 9: Glimpses of the Future

The lights in the cramped meeting room were set at mid-power, casting shadows on the walls. Leo hadn't expected so many crew members to be in attendance, as important meetings were normally conducted by high authority members of the _Atlantis_. In fact, this was the first meeting that the young Frame runner had attended, aside from a few breakout meetings during his studies that had been on new advancements in research or other related materials.

As Leo stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his mentor on one side and another high ranking official on his other, he felt more than out of place. His gaze swept over the room, noting that the majority of the people in attendance were much older and, most likely, more experience than him. _Am I… the only one here out of my class?_ The thought caused his gaze to search the room again, not recognizing anyone else from his studies.

Since the teen had now isolated the fact that he was the only 'kid' in the room, his thoughts then turned to another slightly troubling question: why? He couldn't recall anything that would cause him to receive reprimand over the past few months and, even if there were such an incident, then he would have expected the reprimand to be a bit more… private. If he had disobeyed a rule or gotten in trouble, Elena or Rock Thunderheart had been the ones to deal with his insubordination. Leo still couldn't believe the difference that the few months had affected him. _And everyone else on this ship, at least the ones I've had constant contact with._

Lately, the runner had noticed changes in the others aboard the _Antilia_. The experienced pilots had been sent out on more frequent reconnaissance missions and he didn't have a chance to see his mentor as much. Their daily training sessions had dropped in frequency, which meant he had to continue improving through the simulations that were added every few weeks. He didn't mind, not when his mentor had more important things to do than 'babysitting' him, but it did leave him a bit lonely.

The subject of these missions, as well as any detailed information, was also unknown to him. He had thought that when the older Frame runner had disappeared on a mission several months ago that the incident would be a rare occurrence. The teen now knew that he had been sorely wrong; the LEVs that were sent out on their missions often came back damaged – sometimes so heavily that they had to move Jehuty's repairs to the secondary hanger to compensate for the LEVs – and later than their scheduled return date.

The brief talks that Leo had with his mentor after the missions were over didn't provide any excessive details, so he was often left in the dark on what had happened. The state of the LEVs called to mind a certain Orbital Frame that had occupied his nightmares for the many months since the Antilia Raid. Could it have been possible that they had run into Anubis? He didn't receive any definite answers, the lack of which led him to conduct independent research during his free time.

The younger pilot had very limited experience with Jehuty's twin frame, but the one time they had faced each other – or more like attempted to – had been quick enough that he had to attempt to remember any acute details from the encounter. From his own experience in piloting Jehuty, as well as the experience he had gained during the Antilia Raid, he decided that it was unlikely that Anubis had done the damage directly. It could have been possible that BAHRAM was using other Orbital Frame-like machines or simply upgraded Raptors to combat the UNSF's forces. _I doubt that many people could get away from Anubis in the LEVs that we have now._

Because of the increased amount of management around and beyond the _Atlantis_, Elena had also come under greater amounts of stress. She was good at hiding her emotions and didn't show said frustration around others, but Leo could tell. Maybe it was an accumulation of spending so much time around her and learning her mannerisms, but either way he could tell when he shouldn't push her with his numerous questions. And Celvice…

His childhood friend had received the answer to her letter the day after Valentine's Day, which happened to be another 'off' – or 'half' – day, as his mentor had stated. This fact left them the extended time to spend together, while Leo had continued to ponder what it meant to be in a relationship. He had felt too embarrassed to ask Celvice herself, since she probably didn't have much more experience with such a thing than he did, so he had asked his mentor after forgiving the older man for recording their embarrassing behavior. Celvice had gone back to Antilia soon after that for another visit, promising to stay in contact with him.

_"You just… be yourself and take it at a pace that's comfortable for the both of you, especially at the age you kids are at. It'll work out with time."_

The words of advice, as well as the several interactions he had with his blue-haired friend since then, caused a light blush to appear on his face as he stared at the ground. A friendly elbow to the shoulder brought him back to the present meeting. The jab, which had come from his mentor, was accompanied by something he hadn't expected to hear.

"Thinking about your girlfriend, kid?" Rock Thunderheart's slightly teasing comment caused his blush to deepen a shade. The comment had been slightly hushed, but just loud enough for the group of attendees surrounding them to overhear. The burst of good-natured chuckles from nearby caused a streak of embarrassment to come over him.

"No! Not necessarily…" the teen's latter comment died off as his gaze focused on the far wall in an attempt to clear his thoughts. Of course, it was pretty much guaranteed to not be a secret that he was in a relationship with Celvice, given that the crew of the _Atlantis_ resembled a tight-knit family, but it didn't help to mention that particular fact during a meeting. The blush was still present on his face, but he could tell from the change in his body temperature that it would soon fade. _Hopefully before the meeting starts…_

A laugh came from his mentor, who clasped him on the shoulder. "We'll talk about it later." The strange response caused Leo to open his mouth in retaliation – _what exactly is there to talk about?_ – but he shut it before he could get a word out. The doors on the far side of the room opened with an automatic slide, revealing Elena. All chatter in the room ceased immediately and Leo swore that he felt the air drop several degrees from the sudden seriousness. He tried to stand as straight and alert as he could, partially so that he could see over the shoulders of the other attendants in front of him.

His teacher – being the observant man that he was – noticed the motivation behind Leo's actions and, quite abruptly, pushed him through the crowd of people and to the inner circle surrounding the viewing table. The motion didn't go unnoticed, forcing an uncomfortable feeling to surface in Leo's stomach. The more experienced Frame runner placed his hand atop the teen's dark hair, smiling to his comrades.

"Had to make sure the kid could see." The comment, obviously half-true and half-joking, caused any nervousness that Leo had felt to dissipate. _Can all he do is embarrass me today?_ The thought came as he ducked out of his mentor's reach, releasing a sigh as he did so.

"I'm pretty sure I've grown a few inches lately. Be careful or I might grow taller than you someday." The friendly jab caused another ripple of laughter around them, spreading like a wave. The joke would probably never become truth; Rock Thunderheart was one of the tallest men on board the ship, and the teen wasn't even close to his height. Leo really hadn't meant to make everyone in the room laugh – they were supposed to be in a meeting, after all. On further inspection, however, the Frame runner realized that not _everyone_ was laughing; Elena was waiting with her arms crossed, standing in front of the hollow projector.

"*Ahem*" The cough, coupled with a stern expression from the woman, caused the laughter to cease. Her gaze was focused on the two Runners who had caused the commotion. "Are you two ready to begin?"

A quick nod from his mentor answered for the both of them, but Leo still let a small "sorry" slip before she began to speak. He felt uncomfortable again with guilt, knowing that the meeting was something important, especially with the amount of crew members present. He bit his lip, almost hating when she became more the 'leader' that she was supposed to. He knew it was an important position, but nowadays it was even more different than her regular self that he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

The teen tuned into the meeting, canceling out all other thoughts that could break his concentration. He was here for a reason; even if he didn't know what that reason was, he still had to respect that decision. Elena's voice echoed through the room as she pressed a few commands into the hollow projector in front of them.

"As a lot of you know, BAHRAM activity has increased over the past few months. Their actions have been centered around the Hellespontos County on Mars, where a third party has also surfaced."

Several three-dimensional images were now displayed on the screen, as well as images taken from – what Leo guessed to be – the reconnaissance missions. One of the pictures taken seemed to be of another Orbital Frame. The picture was blurred, probably since it was taken during high-speed combat. As the teen studied the picture, he realized that he didn't recognize the beige Orbital Frame. _Could BAHRAM have found more? But Elena mentioned a 'third party'…_

He examined the picture closer, finding the caption of the image: Born In Space. _What does that mean? _His shifted his gaze back to Elena when she continued.

"This third group – BIS – hasn't necessarily been helping our cause. BAHRAM's motives remain majorly unknown at this time, but there have been stirrings among the people on Mars." The images shifted, leaving the view of the unknown Orbital Frame out of his sight. Leo knew about the resentment that people had for others in general – Mars against Earth, BAHRAM against the UNSF, even the colonists on Antilia had been against 'Enders.' Elena's voice broke his remembering before he got too far lost in it. "The group seems to be less hostile than originally thought. An unidentified Orbital Frame engaged some of the LEVs in combat during the last mission, but none were destroyed, so we assume that the battle was simply a diversion for the rest of their members to get away **(1)**. Their members also seem to only destroy unmanned Frames. Caution when encountering them is still recommended."

The meeting continued on for another hour, covering BAHRAM's current movements and some upcoming missions, as well as Jehuty's ongoing repairs. By the time it was done, Leo felt less overwhelmed than he had first thought he would be. His biggest concern was the presence of another Orbital Frame. _To think there was a very brief amount of time that I believed Jehuty was the only one…_

The teen walked over to where Elena and Rock Thunderheart were now talking as the rest of the attendees filed out of the room one-by-one. The two adults stopped their talk when he came over, focusing their attention on him. He wasn't quite sure how to broach the subject on his mind, but thankfully Elena started the conversation.

"Is there anything you had questions on, Leo? I know a lot of what we talked about was new information."

"Ah, not particularly…" The suddenness of the question caused his mind to go blank. He still felt a bit nervous around Elena when she went into 'commander mode' – as his mentor liked to call it – but it seemed like she was now back to her regular self. "I was just wondering… why did you invite me to this meeting? I don't mean to be disrespectful – despite the small occurrence at the beginning of the meeting – but I noticed that I was the only… well, less official crew member around."

Elena and his mentor shared a glance and the woman nodded. Rock Thunderheart continued where the commander had left off. "You are becoming more observant, but the reasons we decided to let you observe this meeting are numerous. I know that a lot of this information has been kept secret for the past few months, but – with Elena's permission – we believe that it might be time to take you on one of the reconnaissance missions."

The words hung in the air for a moment while Leo let them sink in. He had been on a few of the missions during the earlier months, but they had mainly been for resupplying purposes. He had never gone on an 'official' mission before, so…

"A-are you sure that's alright?" The slight stutter at the beginning of his speech was ignored by the two adults, who most likely knew what he was nervous about.

"Your training results prove that you are more than ready. We have just been holding back because of the events of the past few months." His mentor answered him steadily, causing any retort that he would have had to shatter. Of course, Leo had gotten to the point that he was starting to best his mentor when they trained, but being out on a mission was a whole other realm…

"Your classroom tests and analyses show that your cognitive improvements are also at a rate that you can manage being out on a mission again." Elena's words sunk in, adding to what his mentor had said. The teen inwardly sighed, feeling slightly nervous again. The last time he had piloted an Orbital Frame outside of a resupplying was before he had boarded the _Atlantis_.

Rock Thunderheart, believing that his lack of an answer was due to a misunderstanding, gave him an encouraging smile. "It means that you're mature enough to handle it." The man's hand reached out to ruffle the teen's hair, but he dodged, feeling as though he had gone through enough physical force from the man already.

"I knew that!" The shout came out as a retort as he continuously attempted to avoid the unwanted contact. Elena's next words caused both of the pilots to pause, with his mentor's hand inches away from the teen's head.

"After your joking at the beginning of the meeting, I was considering revising my decision…"

Several moments of silence followed as Leo's eyes widened. The small smile on her face, however, gave her motives away. "Are you… joking with us?" The question caused a loud laugh to come from his mentor, startling him a bit.

"Elena, you have to know by now that he's still catching on to that!"

"Uh…" As his teacher burst into another fit of laughter, Leo was stunned into silence. Elena hadn't really been a person who messed around a lot, even before the recent stress, so the idea was still new to him. His thoughts were now a jumbled mess as he tried to process everything. The older Frame Runner clasped his shoulder, pushing him towards the door.

"Leo, how about you head down to the dining hall? We'll be right down." His mentor's bright smile remained as the teen left through the door, not quite processing what had just happened. _I… just need some time to think._ The thought was what spurred him into walking down the hall, heading for the dining hall like his teacher had said.

Leo wouldn't lie to himself; the idea of going back into the field, even on a mission with others around him, frightened him somewhat – especially because the last memory he had was of his 'fight' with Anubis. A shudder ran through him at the memory, but he decided to focus his thoughts on the task ahead. He had no clue when the mission would take place, but he would need to assume that it would be some point in the near future since they had mentioned it to him. For now, he would have to continue to focus on his studies and training. _They probably wouldn't let me use Jehuty, since it's still being repaired. Would I use the Vic Viper then…?_ The thought caused his eyes to widen as his memory reminded him of another Orbital Frame. _I forgot to ask about the beige Frame!_

The teen turned around abruptly, hesitating about going back to the meeting room. His mentor had said that he would be coming to the dining hall with Elena shortly, so did he really have to rush back?_ They didn't go into detail on the Frame at the meeting, so it might be better to talk about it in private._ His mind made up, he sprinted back to the room, wanting to catch the two adults before they left the room. When he got to the door and was about ready to step into its automatic sensors, he paused, hearing conversation from inside.

"Are you sure we shouldn't tell him, Elena? I feel like he should have a right to know, considering that he…" Rock Thunderheart's voice was slightly muffled by the door between them, but genuine concern leaked through his words. _Are they… talking about me?_

"No!" Elena's response was quick and stern, but her voice softened, making her harder to hear. Leo leaned against the door frame, knowing that eavesdropping was bad but wanting desperately to figure out what they were talking about. "He has too much to deal with right now. His psychological examinations show that more than he lets on. I even question letting him go on that mission."

"Elena, he's ready for it; I know he is. It shouldn't be a problem." Several moments of silence passed after his mentor's insistent answer. He finally heard a sigh from beyond the door.

"I know, but whatever you do, you can't tell him. It'll only make things worse. It's not like I have no guilt over this…" Their words faded for a moment, allowing him to process what he had heard. His eyebrows knit together in confusion as he stood in the hallway, not wanting to move in case he would alert the automatic door. Elena's voice startled him out of his thoughts again. "We should probably get going before he starts to worry."

_Uh oh…_ The footsteps coming closer to the door caused his heart to race in panic. The teen couldn't necessarily move because of the automatic door's sensors – that would surely give him away – so there was one other thing that he had to do: play the innocent kid act. The thought caused guilt inside of him, but it wasn't like he didn't have experience with it; he had used the trick all the time back on Antilia. And so, when the door to the meeting room opened and the two adults appeared, he acted as stunned as he could. Rock Thunderheart's face was stunned as well, but Elena's eyes seemed to narrow at the sight of him.

"I… forgot to turn in one of my assignments, so I had to head back to my room. I just got back, so I figured I would wait for you two here." The words slipped effortlessly from his mouth, and it wasn't necessarily a full lie; his room was closer to the meeting room than the dining hall was. His mentor seemed to believe his response fully, giving him a smile.

"Well, thanks for that! I can fill you in on some of the details of the mission without having the dining hall's loudness interrupt."

Leo didn't miss the suspicion in Elena's gaze as they started to walk down the hallway again. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Still, a new question persisted in his mind.

_What exactly were they talking about?_

* * *

**(1) This is mainly speculation; I haven't played the Fist of Mars, so I'm not entirely sure what went on during it. Might be non-cannon at this point.**

Well, I figured that I was long overdue for an update for this fanfiction. Sorry about the long waiting period again! You are all so kind to put up with me! School and life in general has been really rough for a while now, so my update schedule has been kind of chaotic and inconclusive. I am hoping to fix that soon and on finishing a few fanfictions, like this one (I would like to move on to some of the other ZOE fanfictions I have prewritten, but I'm afraid to do more than one at once). So, after a few hours of binge-listening to the ZOE soundtrack and looking up a somewhat unofficial timeline of events, I present this chapter to you! If anything is incorrect, it's because I haven't played the games for a while and – like I stated above – I haven't really played the Fist of Mars. I'd like to look up a video walkthrough of it, but I don't really have the time right now, so I was hoping that any discrepancies might be forgiven? :D If I did get anything wrong, please let me know and I will try to fix it. I hope this chapter was worth the wait and if you have any ideas, please let me know!

-AnimeWolfGirl9


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